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What are you passionate about?
Public employee labor unions have recently been in front of the public eye, with the situation in Madison, Wisconsin playing out in the news, and the criticisms of teachers unions addressed in the movie, "Waiting for Superman." With that in mind, the US bishops recently talked about labor unions. In their statement, they reiterated the Church's long-standing support for the rights of workers to organize, which the Church has always taught to be a basic human right.
In addition, the bishops also pointed out that the current financial difficulties faced by governments across the country defy easy-fix solutions. Thus, they call on governments and workers to word together for the common good. They also called on the members of unions to make sacrifices in order to adjust to the new economic realities.
For the complete story, go to www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1100999.htm.
Copyright © 2011, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins.
This is the time of year that Congress and many state legislatures are beginning their work for the year. As a result, many Catholic groups are now ramping up their lobbying efforts.
If you haven't already been asked, chances are that you will soon be asked to contact your members of Congress or state legislators about one or more pieces of legislation regarding our Catholic social teaching. It is best to pay most attention to such requests if they come from your local bishop or the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) — you can be assured that the issues they advocate are truly in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
If you get requests from other organizations that claim to be Catholic, please check them out thoroughly. The USCCB has information on their web site (www.usccb.org) about all the positions they take on legislation, and most bishops do, as well. If in doubt, do not hesitate to call the office of your local bishop and ask about his position on particular issues. It will make you more informed as you contact your legislators.
Copyright © 2011, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins.
Sometimes, Catholics think that our social justice teaching began with Pope Leo XIII at the end of the nineteenth century. In fact, it can be traced back to the Old Testament prophets, as we hear in today's First Reading. Here it is again, in case you missed it:
Thus says the LORD:
Share your bread with the hungry,
shelter the oppressed and the homeless;
clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!
If you remove from your midst
oppression, false accusation and malicious speech;
if you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday.
Copyright © 2011, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins.
This past week, Pope Benedict stated that it is unacceptable to evangelize without addressing the urgent problems of poverty, injustice, and oppression, according to Catholic News Service. The report when on to say that to not be concerned with life's temporal problems would be to forget the Gospel teaching to love one's neighbor who is suffering and in need and "it would not be in harmony with Jesus' life," which combined proclaiming the Good News and curing people of disease and illness. It's a reminder to all of us that we should proclaim the gospel not just be telling people about our faith, but also by witnessing to the faith by our efforts to alleviate suffering and working for justice.
The pope made these remarks in his message for World Mission Sunday 2011, to be celebrated on October 23, 2011. At this time, the text of his message is only available in Italian; however, the Catholic News Service story is available in English at http://bit.ly/fumZzR.
Copyright © 2011, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins.
Recently, the head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace spoke out about the problems of genetically modified crops to produce food. While some may question why the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace would be concerned about that, the cardinal who heads that council comes from Africa, where the issue of food production is a major social justice issue.
In his comments, he said that making growers reliant on proprietary, genetically modified seeds smacks of "the usual game of economic dependence," which in turn, "stands out like a new form of slavery." He said, "Why force an African farmer to buy seeds produced in other lands and by other means? I'm beginning to wonder if behind this there isn't the usual game of maintaining economic dependence at all costs." He went on to say that he is not opposed to scientific and technological progress, but it's important to evaluate whether there is a real need for genetically modified crops.
His comments appeared in the January 5 issue of the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano. A news story about his comments was carried by Catholic News Service and can be found at http://bit.ly/gJA9RZ.
Copyright © 2011, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins.
The recent shooting of a number of people including a Congresswoman in Arizona has been widely discussed by those in and out of politics. The Catholic bishops of the US are among them. Here is an excerpt of their statement, as it relates to Catholic social justice teaching:
Violence of any kind must be condemned. When the target of a violent act is a public official, it shakes the confidence of the nation in its ability to protect its leaders and those who want to participate in the democratic process. As bishops we call once more for respect for the life and dignity of every person as we work together for the common good, seeking to address the various social and political issues that face us as a nation.
For the full text of the bishops' press release, go to http://bit.ly/fcZV3l.
Copyright © 2011, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins.
I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice. (Is 42:6a LFM)
Sudan has been the site of major atrocities for some time. The "victory of justice" to which we are called demands that we pay attention to what is going on there. To urge all US Catholics to pray and act on behalf of people in that country and region, the US bishops (www.usccb.org) and Catholic Relief Services (www.crs.org) have put together the following announcement for this Sunday:
On January 9, 2011 the people of southern Sudan begin a week-long voting process to determine whether they will remain united with Sudan or become an independent country. For the past several months Catholics around the world have joined with the people of Sudan to pray for a peaceful resolution to this vote. The risks of a violent outcome are real. But there is also hope for peace. The Church in Sudan and Catholic Relief Services have been building a foundation for peace in Sudan in preparation for this vote. To learn more about how you can prayerfully act for peace in Sudan at this time, visit www.peaceinsudan.org for prayers, resources and opportunities for action.
Copyright © 2011, Deacon Carl D. Smith. All rights reserved. Reprint permission granted to parishes for use in Sunday bulletins.
